The 2002–03 Southern Football League

Southern Football League

The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...

 season saw Tamworth

Tamworth F.C.

Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....

 win the Premier Division to earn promotion to the Football Conference

Football Conference

The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...

 for the first time. Halesowen Town

Halesowen Town F.C.

Halesowen Town is an English association football club formed in 1873, since 2011 playing in the Southern League Division One South & West]]. The team is nicknamed "The Yeltz".-History:...

, Hastings United

Hastings United F.C.

Hastings United is a semi-professional English football club who currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division and are affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association and the Hastings Football Association....

, Ilkeston Town

Ilkeston Town F.C.

Ilkeston Football Club is an English football club based at the New Manor Ground in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.-History:The club was established in 1894 as Ilkeston Town F.C.....

 and Folkestone Invicta

Folkestone Invicta F.C.

Folkestone Invicta F.C. are a football club based in the town of Folkestone, Kent, England. They play their home matches at Cheriton Road, currently known under the terms of a sponsorship deal as the Buzzlines Stadium, and currently compete in the Isthmian League Division One South.-Kent County...

 were relegated from the Premier Division, whilst Dorchester Town

Dorchester Town F.C.

Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...

, Merthyr Tydfil

Merthyr Tydfil F.C.

Merthyr Tydfil Football Club was a Welsh football club based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2010 the club was liquidated and reformed under the name Merthyr Town, which was accepted into Division One of the Western League.-History:...

, Eastbourne Borough

Eastbourne Borough F.C.

Eastbourne Borough are a semi-professional English football club, based in the town of Eastbourne, East Sussex, and are members of the Conference South. They are known as The Sports after their previous name as Langney Sports. Eastbourne Borough play their home matches at Priory Lane in Langney...

 and Weston-super-Mare were promoted from the Eastern and Western Divisions, the former two as champions. Spalding United

Spalding United F.C.

Spalding United F.C. is an English football club based in Spalding, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of Division One of the United Counties League and play at Sir Halley Stewart Field.-History:...

, St Leonards

St. Leonards F.C.

St. Leonards F.C. were a semi-professional English football club based in Hastings, East Sussex.-History:The club was founded as a works team in 1971 by employees from the Sussex Turnery And Moulding Company started playing friendlies, under the company name of STAMCO...

, Rocester

Rocester F.C.

Rocester Football Club is a football club based in Rocester, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England.-History:Rocester Football Club was formed in 1876 and for over a century played in various local leagues including the Stafford Amateur League and Uttoxeter and District League until they became...

 and Racing Club Warwick

Racing Club Warwick F.C.

Racing Club Warwick Football Club is a football club based in Warwick, Warwickshire, England.-History:They were formed in 1919 under the name of Saltisford Rovers and played in various local leagues including the Warwick League, Leamington & District League and the Warwickshire Combination until 1967...

 were all relegated to the eighth level.

Premier Division

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Notes
1	Tamworth Tamworth F.C. Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....	42	26	10	6	73	32	41	88	Promoted to the Football Conference
2	Stafford Rangers Stafford Rangers F.C. Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...	42	21	12	9	76	40	36	75
3	Dover Athletic Dover Athletic F.C. Dover Athletic Football Club is an association football team based in the town of Dover, Kent, England. The club was formed in 1983 after the dissolution of the town's previous club, Dover, whose place in the Southern League was taken by the new club...	42	19	14	9	42	35	7	71
4	Tiverton Town Tiverton Town F.C. Tiverton Town Football Club are an English football club based in Tiverton. The club are currently members of the Southern Football League South & West Division and play at Ladysmead.-History:...	42	19	12	11	60	43	17	69
5	Chippenham Town Chippenham Town F.C. Chippenham Town are an English football club based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division. They are nicknamed the Bluebirds and they play their home matches at Hardenhuish Park. Their home kit consists of a blue shirt, blue shorts and blue socks...	42	17	17	8	59	37	22	68
6	Worcester City Worcester City F.C. Worcester City Football Club is an English football club based in Worcester, Worcestershire. The club are currently members of the Conference North and play at St George's Lane.-History:...	42	18	13	11	60	39	21	67
7	Crawley Town Crawley Town F.C. Crawley Town Football Club is an English football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. They won the title of the Football Conference, by a record 15 point margin on second place, and with it promotion to The Football League, in April 2011.-1896–2009:...	42	17	13	12	64	51	13	64
8	Havant & Waterlooville Havant & Waterlooville F.C. Havant & Waterlooville Football Club are an English football club based in Havant, Hampshire. The club formed in 1998 after a merger between Havant Town and Waterlooville, and are currently members of the Conference South. Nicknamed The Hawks, they play at West Leigh Park.-History:In 1998 Havant...	42	15	15	12	67	64	3	60
9	Chelmsford City Chelmsford City F.C. Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:...	42	15	12	15	65	63	2	57
10	Newport County Newport County A.F.C. Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...	42	15	11	16	53	52	1	56
11	Hednesford Town Hednesford Town F.C. Hednesford Town Football Club are an association football team based in Hednesford, Staffordshire, England. They play at Keys Park.-History:...	42	14	13	15	59	60
55
12	Moor Green Moor Green F.C. Moor Green F.C. was a non-league association football team originally from the Hall Green area of south Birmingham but later based in the town of Solihull, West Midlands, England...	42	13	14	15	49	58
53
13	Hinckley United Hinckley United F.C. Hinckley United Football Club are an English football club, from Hinckley, Leicestershire currently playing in the Conference North. Formed only in 1997, the club has risen from the Southern League Midland/West Division to the Conference North in those 14 years...	42	12	16	14	61	64
52
14	Bath City Bath City F.C. Bath City Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Bath, Somerset. They play in the Conference National league after gaining promotion from the Conference South via the play-offs in May 2010...	42	13	13	16	50	61
52
15	Welling United Welling United F.C. Welling United Football Club are an English football club, based in Welling in the London Borough of Bexley. They currently play in the Conference South. The 2010–11 season was not a good one for them as the club had financial problems, nearly going bankrupt but lots of supporters chipped in and...	42	13	12	17	55	58
51
16	Grantham Town Grantham Town F.C. Grantham Town F.C. is a football club, based in Grantham, Lincolnshire, currently playing in the Northern Premier League Division One South. They are nicknamed The Gingerbreads and they play their home matches at the South Kesteven Sports Stadium . They were established in August 1874...	42	14	9	19	59	65
51
17	Weymouth Weymouth F.C. Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...	42	12	15	15	44	62
51
18	Cambridge City Cambridge City F.C. Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...	42	13	10	19	54	56
49
19	Halesowen Town Halesowen Town F.C. Halesowen Town is an English association football club formed in 1873, since 2011 playing in the Southern League Division One South & West]]. The team is nicknamed "The Yeltz".-History:...	42	12	13	17	52	63
49	Relegated to Eastern and Western Divisions
20		Hastings United Hastings United F.C. Hastings United is a semi-professional English football club who currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division and are affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association and the Hastings Football Association....	42	10	13	19	44	57
43
21		Ilkeston Town Ilkeston Town F.C. Ilkeston Football Club is an English football club based at the New Manor Ground in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.-History:The club was established in 1894 as Ilkeston Town F.C.....	42	10	10	22	54	92
40
22	Folkestone Invicta Folkestone Invicta F.C. Folkestone Invicta F.C. are a football club based in the town of Folkestone, Kent, England. They play their home matches at Cheriton Road, currently known under the terms of a sponsorship deal as the Buzzlines Stadium, and currently compete in the Isthmian League Division One South.-Kent County...	42	7	7	28	57	105
28

Eastern Division

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Notes
1	Dorchester Town Dorchester Town F.C. Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...	42	28	9	5	114	40	74	93	Promoted to the Premier Division
2	Eastbourne Borough Eastbourne Borough F.C. Eastbourne Borough are a semi-professional English football club, based in the town of Eastbourne, East Sussex, and are members of the Conference South. They are known as The Sports after their previous name as Langney Sports. Eastbourne Borough play their home matches at Priory Lane in Langney...	42	29	6	7	92	33	59	93
3	Stamford	42	27	6	9	80	39	41	87
4	Salisbury City Salisbury City F.C. Salisbury City Football Club is an English football club based in Salisbury, Wiltshire currently playing in the Conference South. They were formed in 1947 and play at The Raymond McEnhill Stadium...	42	27	8	7	81	42	39	86	Three points deducted
5	Bashley Bashley F.C. Bashley F.C. is a football club based in Bashley, near New Milton, Hampshire, England. It was established in 1947 and is currently a member of the Southern League Premier Division....	42	23	12	7	90	44	46	81
6	King's Lynn King's Lynn F.C. King's Lynn F.C. was an English football club based in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Established in 1879, they were wound up at the High Court on 25 November 2009 with debts of £77,000 and went out of business in December after a failed appeal...	42	24	7	11	98	62	36	79
7	Rothwell Town Rothwell Town F.C. Rothwell Town F.C. are a football club based in Rothwell in the north of Northamptonshire. They were founding members of the Northamptonshire League in 1895, and are now playing in the United Counties League Division One...	42	22	10	10	77	52	25	76
8	Banbury United Banbury United F.C. Banbury United is a football club based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, who play in the Southern League Premier Division. They are nicknamed The Puritans and they play their home matches at the Spencer Stadium...	42	21	11	10	75	50	25	74
9	Tonbridge Angels Tonbridge Angels F.C. Tonbridge Angels Football Club is an English football club who play at Longmead Stadium in Tonbridge, Kent, since moving from the Angel Ground in 1980....	42	20	11	11	71	55	16	71
10	Histon Histon F.C. Histon Football Club is an English football club based in the twin villages of Histon and Impington, approximately north of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. From the 2007–08 season they competed in the Conference National, the highest level that the club has ever reached in the English football league...	42	20	7	15	99	62	37	67
11	Ashford Town Ashford Town F.C. (Kent) Ashford United F.C. are an English football club based in Ashford, Kent. The 'new' United was formed in 2011 . Between 1930 and 2010 the town was represented by Ashford Town FC, before it ultimately went into administration...	42	18	9	15	63	57	6	63
12	Sittingbourne Sittingbourne F.C. Sittingbourne F.C. are a football club based in Sittingbourne, Kent, England. They were established in 1886 and were founder members of the Kent League. They have reached the 2nd round of the FA Cup at least twice in their history...	42	15	8	19	57	69
53
13	Burnham Burnham F.C. Burnham F.C. is a non-League football club from Burnham in Buckinghamshire, near Slough. They currently compete in the Southern Football League Division One Central. The team play in blue and white quartered shirts and blue shorts. The manager is Martin Stone and the chairman is Bob Breen. Home...	42	15	7	20	62	79
52
14	Fisher Athletic Fisher Athletic F.C. Fisher Athletic F.C. was a semi-professional football club from South East London, which last played in the Conference South, which is one of the two leagues that form the sixth tier of the English football league system. The Bermondsey-based club ground-shared at Champion Hill Stadium, the home...	42	15	5	22	57	80
50
15	Chatham Town Chatham Town F.C. Chatham Town are an English Association Football club based in Chatham, Kent. They currently play in Division One North of the Isthmian League and are nicknamed "The Chats"....	42	14	5	23	54	84
47
16	Newport IOW	42	12	6	24	53	87
42
17	Dartford Dartford F.C. Dartford F.C. are an English football club based in Dartford, Kent. After finishing as champions of the Isthmian League Division One North in the 2007–08 season, they compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division. They finished in 8th position in their first season...	42	11	8	23	48	78
41
18	Erith & Belvedere Erith & Belvedere F.C. Erith & Belvedere F.C., established 1922, is a football club representing Erith, in the London Borough of Bexley. They are currently members of the Kent League Premier Division after being relegated from the Southern League Division One East in 2005.They were also founder members of the Corinthian...	42	11	6	25	65	96
39
19	Corby Town Corby Town F.C. Corby Town F.C. is an English football club based in Corby, Northamptonshire. They will be members of the Conference North for the 2011–12 season. The Steelmen play their home games at the newly built Steel Park, adjacent to their previous ground, Rockingham Triangle Sports Stadium, which is...	42	9	11	22	49	84
38
20	Fleet Town Fleet Town F.C. Fleet Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Fleet, Hampshire, England. They were established in 1890 and joined the Athenian League in 1979. In 2004, they joined the Isthmian League First Division, were moved into the Southern League Division One South & West in 2007,...	42	8	8	26	34	80
32
21	Spalding United Spalding United F.C. Spalding United F.C. is an English football club based in Spalding, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of Division One of the United Counties League and play at Sir Halley Stewart Field.-History:...	42	4	6	32	40	108
18	Relegated to the United Counties League United Counties Football League The United Counties Football League is an English football league covering Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, as well as parts of Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. It has a total of four divisions, two for first teams and two for reserve teams...
22	St.Leonards St. Leonards F.C. St. Leonards F.C. were a semi-professional English football club based in Hastings, East Sussex.-History:The club was founded as a works team in 1971 by employees from the Sussex Turnery And Moulding Company started playing friendlies, under the company name of STAMCO...	42	4	4	34	38	116
16	Relegated to the Sussex County League Sussex County Football League The Sussex County Football League is a football league broadly covering the counties of East Sussex, West Sussex and southeastern Surrey, England.Formed in 1920, the league now has six divisions - three for first teams and three for reserve sides...

Western Division

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Notes
1	Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil F.C. Merthyr Tydfil Football Club was a Welsh football club based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2010 the club was liquidated and reformed under the name Merthyr Town, which was accepted into Division One of the Western League.-History:...	42	28	8	6	78	32	46	92	Promoted to the Premier Division
2	Weston-super-Mare	42	26	7	9	77	42	35	85
3	Bromsgrove Rovers Bromsgrove Rovers F.C. Bromsgrove Rovers F.C. were a non-League football club from the town of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. The peak of the club's success was in 1993 when Rovers finished runner-up in the Football Conference...	42	23	7	12	73	41	32	76
4	Solihull Borough Solihull Borough F.C. Solihull Borough F.C. was an English football club from Solihull. In 2007 the club merged with Moor Green to form a new club, Solihull Moors.-History:...	42	21	13	8	77	48	29	76
5	Gloucester City	42	22	9	11	87	58	29	75
6	Mangotsfield United Mangotsfield United F.C. Mangotsfield United F.C. is an English football club based in Mangotsfield, in the Greater Bristol area, who currently play in the Southern League Division One South and West. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA and Somerset County FA....	42	21	10	11	106	53	53	73
7	Redditch United Redditch United F.C. Redditch United F.C. is an English football club based in Redditch, Worcestershire. The club are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division and play at the Valley.-Birmingham Combination:...	42	22	6	14	76	42	34	72
8	Rugby United	42	20	9	13	58	43	15	69
9	Gresley Rovers Gresley Rovers F.C. Gresley Football Club are an English football club from Church Gresley, near Swadlincote, Derbyshire. Gresley are currently in the Midland Football Alliance, playing their home games at The Moat Ground...	42	19	10	13	63	54	9	67
10	Taunton Town Taunton Town F.C. Taunton Town Football Club are an English football club based in Taunton, Somerset, England. They compete in the Southern Football League Division One South & West, and play their home matches at their Wordsworth Drive ground which they moved into during the 1953 season...	42	20	7	15	76	78
67
11	Sutton Coldfield Town Sutton Coldfield Town F.C. Sutton Coldfield Town F.C. are a football club based in Sutton Coldfield, England. They were formed in 1879 and currently play in the Northern Premier League First Division South ....	42	18	10	14	63	53	10	64
12	Evesham United Evesham United F.C. Evesham United F.C. are an English football club based in Evesham, Worcestershire. They reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time in the 2008-2009 season. In 2005, they entered the Southern League Premier Division for the first time in their history but were relegated after...	42	19	6	17	76	72	4	63
13	Clevedon Town Clevedon Town F.C. Clevedon Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Clevedon, North Somerset. They currently play in the Southern League Division One South & West.-History:...	42	14	13	15	54	60
55
14	Cirencester Town Cirencester Town F.C. Cirencester Town is an English football club based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. The club are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division and play at the Corinium Stadium...	42	15	7	20	62	82
52
15	Cinderford Town Cinderford Town F.C. Cinderford Town A.F.C. are a football club based in Cinderford in Gloucestershire, England. They were established in 1922 and joined the Western League in 1946. For the 2011-12 season, they are members of the Southern League Division One South and West...	42	13	12	17	50	67
51
16	Shepshed Dynamo Shepshed Dynamo F.C. Shepshed Dynamo F.C. is a football team based in the small town of Shepshed in the North West of Leicestershire, England.Their home ground is called The Dovecote, which is situated on Butthole Lane. Football has been played on this ground for over 100 years...	42	12	6	24	48	76
42
17	Stourport Swifts Stourport Swifts F.C. Stourport Swifts are a football team from Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire and one of the oldest non-league teams in the country. The Swifts gained promotion to the Southern League Division One West in 2001 from the Midland Alliance, and currently play at Walshes Meadow in the town.In the year...	42	10	11	21	48	66
41
18	Bedworth United Bedworth United F.C. Bedworth United Football Club is a football club based in Bedworth, Warwickshire, England, currently playing in the Southern League Division One Central....	42	11	7	24	46	74
40
19	Swindon Supermarine Swindon Supermarine F.C. Swindon Supermarine F.C. are a football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. Currently they are members of the Southern League Premier Division...	42	11	5	26	52	85
38
20	Atherstone United	42	9	10	23	45	78
37
21	Rocester Rocester F.C. Rocester Football Club is a football club based in Rocester, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England.-History:Rocester Football Club was formed in 1876 and for over a century played in various local leagues including the Stafford Amateur League and Uttoxeter and District League until they became...	42	9	10	23	34	74
37	Relegated to the Midland Alliance Midland Football Alliance The Midland Football Alliance is an English association football league for semi-professional teams. It covers Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and also southern parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire...
22		Racing Club Warwick Racing Club Warwick F.C. Racing Club Warwick Football Club is a football club based in Warwick, Warwickshire, England.-History:They were formed in 1919 under the name of Saltisford Rovers and played in various local leagues including the Warwick League, Leamington & District League and the Warwickshire Combination until 1967...	42	3	9	30	33	104
18